Chinaware sandblasting machine



yJam,f29,*1946.l w. H. EMERSON 2,393,752

` CHINAWARE ASAND BLASTING MACHINE l j Filed sept. 8, 194:5. 2 sheds-sheet 1 d? /YWMM bis @Trop/vena Jan. 29, 1946. w. H. 'EMERSON 2,393,762

CHINAWARE SAND BLASTING MACHINE Filed sept. 8, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. Wale r h. Eme P6072.'

n Patented Jan. 29, 1946 f- UNITED 'STATES l PATENT OFFICE L v CHINAWAREY SANDBLASTING MACHINE Y Walter H. Emerson, East Liverpool, Ohio, assignor to The Homer Laughlin China Company, Newall, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Applicationr September 8, 1943, Serial No. 501,527 5 Claims. (VCI. 51-15) This invention rrelates to apparatus for sand blasting chinaware after the first firing in order to polish its surfaces before the glaze is applied.

In the manufacture of chinaware the air-dried or green ware is stacked in bungs, and sand is packed between the pieces in order to support them while they are being fired in a kiln to a temperature at which the clay softens. The impression of the sand on the ware leaves it with a slightly roughv surface which must be made smooth before the glaze is applied to it. vin the past this has generally been done by racking the tired ware in revolving boxes or drums'containing loose abrasive material. During several hours rotation ofthe drums the rough surfaces of the Ware are polished by the abrasive. Some attempts also have been made to polish the ware by sand blasting; but `the suggested apparatus has not been entirely satisfactory, mainly because the ware has been sand blasted from be low as well as from abovey and the supports for the ware have interfered with the upwardly directed sand blasting nozzles. 4

It is among theobjects of this invention to provide chinaware sand blasting apparatus which satisfactorily polishes both the top and bottom of the ware, which is not injured by the abrasive sand, which effectively cleans the ware after it hasbeen sand yblasted, and which is rapid and dependable in operation.

In accordance with thisinventio'n the ware is carried through a pair of laterally spaced sand blasting stations separated by a ware turnover station.v At each of the'sand blasting stations there isone or more downwardly directed sand blasting nozzles aimed at the ware. Consequently, the upper surface of the ware is sand blasted at the rst station and then vthe ware is turned over and its upper surface sand blasted at the last station. As all of the sand blasting occurs from above, there is no interference with it by the means by which the ware is supported. The ware support is protected from abrasion by the sand, preferably by a covering of rubber or similar-yielding material. Thesand` blasting nozzles may be oscillated transversely of the path of travel of the ware to insure proper polishing of theentire upper area of the ware, after which the ware is cleaned by jets of air directed against it. l

'I'he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rotary machine, partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the' line II-II of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a detail.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a central framework is formed from four legs l that support a horizontal plate 2 at their upper ends. Mounted on the center of the plateis a bearing 3 beneath which the plate has an open ing for receiving a vertical shaft t that also eX- tends through the bearing. The. lower. end of the shaft is journaled in a bearing 6 mountedl on a plate 1 extending across the lower portion of the framework. Rigidly mounted on the lower end of the shaft is a bevel gear 8 that is driven by a bevel pinion 9 on the inner end of a horizontal shaft l I journaled in bearings l2 mounted on a block I3 supported by the framework. The outer end of this shaft carries a pulley I4 that is driven by a belt I5 from an electric motor I1 and speed reducing unit I8 mounted beside the framework."

Rigidly mounted on the upper end of the vertical shaft is a hub'2l that carries an encircling ring formed from a pair of vertically spaced circular plates 22 between which the inner ends of a plurality of radial spokes 23 are secured. The outer ends of these spokes are connected by Abracing members 24. Attached to the outer ends of all of the spokes is a circular metal band or rim 26 which, with the spokes, forms a table or wheel. A plurality of circumferentially spaced metal rods 21 project radially fromthe outer surface of the rim near its bottom for supporting fired chinaware, such as dinner plates 28.

Located beside the wheel at two circumferentially spaced points is a pair of sand blasting housings 3| mounted on legs 32. The wheel side of each of these housings is curved horizontally to conform to the curvature of the wheel rim. Also, this inner vwall is divided into laterally offset upper and lower portions to provide a downwardly extending slot 33 (Fig. 3) into Which the lower portion of the rim projects as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The end walls of each housing have an inlet opening 36'and an outlet 31 so that rods 21 can pass throughl it as the wheel rotates. The outer wall ofthe housing is provided with a horizontal slot 38 from which a sand hopper 39 extends upwardly and outwardly so that sand in the hopper will maintain a uniform level Vofv sand in the housing. i

The bottom of the housing is tapered transversely and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced outlets 4| each of which is connected to the closed inner end of a tubular coupling 42. The outer end of each coupling is connected to a hose 43 that extends up the outside of the housing and in through an opening l near the top of its outer wall. The central portion of the coupling has an upper air inlet opening 44 the size of which can be regulated by a sleeve 46 slidably mounted on the coupling. The

upper end of each hose in the housing is connected .to the sandinlet of a .sand blasting gun or nozzleA'l-whi-chris rigidly mounted on a horizontal shaft 4'8 extending through the end walls of the housing where it, is rotatably mounted .in bearings l49 supported by brackets 50 attached (to the ends of the housing. Each nozzlealsohas an air inletrconnected by a flexible hose 5| to av horizontal pipe 52 supported' bythe en'dfwallsof the housing. This pipe is connected. bya hose 53 tovany suitable source Aof air pressure (not shown). The air passing through the znozzl'e draws air through the adjoining hose 43 from the air ,inlet 44 of the coupling 42; This air carries sand alongwith .it from the bottom of the housing and blows it withconsiderable force against the ware on the underlying rods 2l.

YThe nozzle-supporting shaft .carriespat one end an arm 56 thatis pivotally connected. by a link l' 51A to a disc 58 mounted on the outer end of the shaftA of a combined electric motor and gear reduction unit 59. This unit .is mounted on a yshelf 61 projecting from the end .of the housing. Rotation of the disc operates to oscillate shaft 48 so that the nozzles are swung back and forth acrossy the housing in order that the spray of sand willi chine, that are .exposed .to the sandjb1ast,.from

the abrasive .action .thereoinods 21 Varezeach .enclosed. .by a sleeve-likesshield tFig. 3) iofrubber or other suitable .resilient material that willvyield under the. impact .of .the sand instead .of rapidly wearing away. Also, the inner wallsof the housings 13| .arelined inxthe vsand blasting zone with rubber vor .the like. Therubber walls at ther rimreceiving. slot in a .housing are shown at GSfand `i-'I in the drawings.r

In operation, an operator, stationed/beside the wheel where the rsand blasting housings are farthest apart, continu'ously'places :fired chinaware, either side up, on Vthe radial rods of the continuously revolving wheel. The wheel Vcarries the ware through the first housing where a spray of sand is directed against its upper surface .from the oscillating nozzles above it. As the ware leaves this housing itis Ycleaned by air directed against it from nozzle 62 at the outlet. Before the Vware enters .the .second housing, .an :operator turns eachpiece over so that its unpolishedsur-` face is uppermost. lWhile the ware vis vpassing through rthe 'second housingv Vits upper surface,

formerly 'its lower surface, likewise vrnade smooth by the :Sandblasting nozzles inr thehousing; Any loose material clinging to the ware when it leaves the housing is Vblown .oi by the air jet at the exit, Theware can then .beremoved from Vthe wheel bythe same operator who puts tit on, or by another operator. It will be seen that both surfaces ofthe ware `receive the same abrasive treatment lbecause :they both are sand blasted in identical manner from above.V

The supporting rods, which are protected by their resilient shields 65, do not interfere with the sand blasting because none vof it is done from below. Also, the force of the sand blasting may be as great as desired because it is impossible for the force of the blast to lift the ware from the rods. The wheel can be revolved quite rapidly giving the machine Va high capacity.

According tothe provisions 'of-.the patent statrites, I have explained the principle' and construction of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent f its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope ofthe ap- ,pendedclaims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. A. chinaware sand blasting machine comprising a' continuously revolving table, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rubber-covered .rods projecting radially'from thetable/around its edge for supporting chinaware, .a pair of laterally spaced housings provided in their ends :and one side with openings into which 'said rods project, and a plurality of sand blasting nozzles mounted in each housing above said rods and directed toward the ware carried thereby- Y 2. A chinaware sand blasting machine comprising a pair of laterally spaced Sandblasting stations with a ware turnover station between,` a downwardly directed sand blasting nozzle at each of said sand blasting stations, a continuously revolving, table, a pluralityy of. circumferentially spaced rods projecting radially /from the table around'its edge for supporting chinaware and. for carrying it' through all of said stations and beneath said nozzles, whereby theopposite sides of the ware are sand blasted in succession from above, a rocker shaft at each of said sand blasting stations and extending longitudinally of the path of' travel of said supporting means, `said nozzles being rigidly mounted onr saidshatts, and means for rocl'ng the shafts. tov swing, said nozzles back and forth across said path.

3. A chinaware sand'blasting .machine comprising a continuouslyl revolving table .having a peripheral rim, aplurality of rubber-coveredrods projecting radially from the outer surface of said t rim at circumferentially spaced intervals around it for supporting chinaware, a pair of laterally spaced housings beside-the .table and each having a curved inner side wall divided horizontally to form laterally offset upper and lower wallportions between which there is a downwardly eX- tending slot receiving the lower portion of said rim with the adjoining rods disposed inside the housing, said housings being provided in their end walls with Vopenings through which said rods pass as the 'tablenrotates and a plurality 'of sand blasting nozzles mounted in each housing 'above said rods and ldirected towardthe .warel carried thereby.

4. A chinaware sand blastingV machine comprising a vertical shaft, means for continuously rotating Athe shaft, a plurality of spokes radiating from :the shaft, a rrim having `its upper Lportion downwardly extending slot receiving the lower portion of said rim with the adjoining rods disposed inside the housing, said housings being provided in their end walls with openings through which said rods pass as the table rotates, and a plurality of sand blasting nozzles mounted in each housing above said'rods and directed toward the ware carried thereby.

5. A chinaware sand blasting machine comprising a continuously revolving table, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rods projecting radially from the table around its edge for supporting chinaware, a pair of' laterally spaced housings beside the table provided in their ends and inner side walls with openings through which said rods travel, a shaft extending through each housing above said rods and oscillatably mounted adjacent the ends of the housing, a downwardly directed sand blasting nozzle rigidly mounted on each shaft and having an air inlet and a sand inlet, a conduit connecting the bottom of each housing with the sand inlet of the nozzle therein, a conduit for supplying air under pressure to said air inlet, and means for rocking said shafts to swing the nozzles back and forth across the path of movement of said rods through said housings.

WALTER H. EMERSON. 

